Stories

William Clark Information

During the War of 1812 he served as a Private in Captain John Lowrey's Company Militia, Mississippi Territory Regiment of Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant Col. George H. Nixon. He was discharged from the Militia in 1814 and given travel pay from Tom Bigby Camp, Northeastern Mississippi to Amite County, MS. William married in Amite County MS. on March 16, 1812 to Elizabeth Isaacs.

William and family moved to Sabine District of Texas about 1821. The Sabine District, named for the Sabine River, is located in East Texas on the border of Texas and Louisiana, 140 miles northeast of Houston Tx.

During the Runaway Scrape, Texans fled to Louisiana by using the Gaines Ferry to cross the Sabine River. Benjamin F. Bryant, in response to Sam Houston's Call for troops, organized the Volunteer Sabine Company, which served at the battle of San Jacinto. After that victory the government of the Republic of Texas began to organize. On December 14, 1837, Sabine County was organized and its boundaries defined. William Clark, Elijah Clark, Henry Clark, James Clark and John Clark are listed in the "Some of the First Citizens of Sabine District/Municipality, county of Texas Records".

Elizabeth went into labor and died in 1836 somewhere between her home and Louisiana while giving birth to Frances Clark. Her death occurred during the "Great Runaway Scrape", when women and children in Texas were fleeing to get away from Santa Anna's troops as they pursued Sam Houston and the Republic of Texas Army.

The following is a copy of a letter written July 23, 1836 by James Clark, son of William Clark and Elizabeth (Isaacs) Clark to the Municipality of Sabine.

Dear Sir

"My father and brother left here on the 8th of (month not readable) and since their departure I have been so unfortunate as to lose my Mohter since they left. I have wrote my father a letter but it is uncertain whether he will get it or notand I now write to you as I think he will be a better chance of his getting intelligence of my mothers death, I am now left in charge of eight children of which there is some of them very small. I wish you to make an action of this through the company as I wish him to come home as soon as possible."

" And also I have two other brothers left here. One of them is lying sick at this time and the other was drafted today. Please let my father know of this as soon as you can. My father's name is William Clark and my brother is named Henry Clark, they both went under the command of Captain (name not readable) of this district in so doing you will oblige yours".

Williams was given a land grant in Lorenzo De Zavala's Colony, consisting of one league (about 4,400 Acres). This land is located just northwest of Hemphill, Texas. The grant is recorded in the General Land Office in Austin Tx. The grant is written in Spanish since the colony was under Mexican rule and known as Coahuila and Texas.

William Died July 4, 1856 and is buried along with Mahalia in the Clark, Dickey, Smith Cemetery, FR 117, Hwy 87, Big Sandy Creek, Sabine Co, TX., near Hemphill, TX

CEMETERY MARKER INSCRIPTION

WILLIAM AND MAHALA (GRAHAM) CLARK SETTLED IN THE BIG SANDY CREEK AREA. WILIAM DIED IN 1856 AND HIS IS THE OLDEST MARKED CRAVE IN THE CLARK-DICKEY CEMETERY. IT IS BELIEVED THAT EARLIER PIONEERS CAMPED NEAR HERE AND BURIED THEIR DEAD IN UNMARKED GRAVES. IN 1850 OBEDIAH JACKSON SMITH AND ELIZABETH CHAPMAN BOUGHT LAND FROM WILLIAM CLARK. OBEDIAH DIED IN 1866; HIS IS THE ONLY MARKED GRAVE IN THE SMITH CEMETERY. IT IS LIKELY THAT FAMILY MEMBERS ARE ALSO BURIED NEARBY. THESE CEMETERIES ARE THE LAST PHYSICAL REMAINS OF THE BIG SANDY CREEK COMMUNITY.